Marama Davidson: Māori approaches to safety and wellbeing important in progress to eliminate violence

Marama Davidson said kaupapa Māori approaches would provide improved access to support for Māori. Photo / Māori Television

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is central to Government plans to eliminate family and sexual violence, says Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Marama Davidson, who announced Budget 2023′s inclusion of a strong focus on community initiatives on Saturday.

Davidson said kaupapa Māori approaches would provide improved access to support for Māori.

“Te Tiriti o Waitangi is central to our plan to eliminate family violence and sexual violence. These initiatives apply mātauranga Māori and whānau-centred approaches to safety and wellbeing and will ensure more Māori affected by sexual violence can access the support they need to heal.”

This year’s Budget builds on progress made to deliver Te Aorerekura, Aotearoa’s first plan to eliminate family violence and sexual violence ever, Davidson said.

“Budget 2023 includes a strong focus on community initiatives to help prevent violence from happening in the first place. If and when violence does happen, Budget 2023 will also ensure more support is available to give people affected the best chance of healthy, happy lives,” she said.

“What this means is better support for those experiencing violence, whilst supporting people who use violence to change their behaviour.”

Tamariki and rangatahi

Davidson’s release was issued in conjunction with Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment and Minister for Disability Issues, Priyanca Radhakrishnan.

“As a direct result of what I am announcing today, tamariki forced to leave home and seek refuge in safe accommodation, most often with their mothers, will be better supported to stay safe, build resilience and start to heal,” said Radhakrishnan.

Disabled people

Radhakrishnan said Budget 2023 will also provide greater support for whānau with disabilities.

“Providers will get more support to meet the accessibility needs of disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori,” she said.

“For decades, disabled people have had to either turn to mainstream services that often try to accommodate the needs of disabled people but don’t always have the skills or facilities required, or they just don’t access services at all.”

Davidson added that the Budget would include investment in “both improving accessibility to mainstream services and a specialised service specifically for our whānau with disabilities”.

Summary

The initiatives funded by Budget 2023 include:

• Extension of the Family Violence Help Portal, which will provide access to online tools and services available 24/7 nationwide for people experiencing, using or supporting those impacted by family violence;
• Better support across the system for tamariki and rangatahi. This includes establishing advocates in eight Women’s Refuges, better support for tamariki and rangatahi participating in the court system, and expanding family dispute resolution practices to minimise harm to children;
• Increasing access to specialist supports through the Waitematā Safeguarding response and expanding the initiative to two other locations, while also supporting improved access to mainstream family violence and sexual violence services for disabled peoplel
• Kaupapa Māori specialist sexual violence services for whānau.

Originally published by Māori Television.